Terror In 234
by Eyesuhkattspeleeng
Summary: Nurse Darlene Warner hates her job. She hates it even more when a stubborn, demanding patient with no past it seems shows up to terrorize her. To make things worse; after he's released he has no where to go. Darlene has no choice but to take him in.
1. Patients and Patience

**Disclaimer: In no way shape or form am I expecting to gain any sort of financial gain from the writing of this story. All credit goes to J.k. Rowling who does make the money. **

**Authors Note: This story was originally published on Harrypotterfanfiction but I felt it was a bit too adult for that website and that it would not pass their submission guidelines so I thought I'd give myself a bit more freedom by publishing it right here on FFnet which gives me alot more leeway to do what I want with this story. Yes, I am the original author of this story and am not some one pretending to be me. Just to let everyone know that this is my story legitimately. Enjoy and as always do me a favor and review. **

**Chapter 1: Patients and Patience   
**

Darlene Warner pulled into the hospital parking lot; dreading another day of work. The day hadn't started off well; her shower had decided to stop working, the light bulb in the bathroom went out, preventing her from putting on her make up in a proper light, her toilet over flowed and to top things off, her car wouldn't start so she had to call her worthless brother, Joe, to give it a jump start. She was forty dollars poorer and forty minutes late for work. Darlene was at least grateful that she had a clean pair of scrubs, though they were her least favorite pair.

She clocked in, and began doing her normal routine, checking the night shifts reports on the patients, making sure that nothing went horribly wrong during the night. A headache began develop in her temples, and she hadn't even been there for twenty minutes. It was then that the man who liked to think that he was her boss approached her.

"Mornin' Darlene," Kirk said, glaring down at her. "I don't suppose I have to tell you that you were late, again."

Darlene didn't look at him; she didn't say anything. At that point, the headache kicked into turbo mode. Kirk was an asshole but she felt lucky to even have the job at the hospital so she couldn't rightly say anything to him for fear he might have her fired. He always liked to make her think that her job was in his hands, and she acted as such because she was scared he actually did.

"We've got a new patient that was moved in from ICU last night, and he ran Sherry out. I need you to go in there and take his vitals and make sure that he's taking his medication."

Darlene glanced quickly at the computer screen, and pulled up the patient history. To her surprise, this man had no medical history at all, that was until last night. She looked at the name, and took her time as she made her way to room 234, dreading what this man would be like. Sherry was the tough girl type and if this man was able to run Sherry off, Darlene was sure that he would rip her to shreds. She tapped her fist three times on the door as protocol dictated and waited five seconds before entering the room.

The hospital room was just like all the others, sterile and empty feeling with the heavy scent of industrial germ killing cleaner hanging in the air that burned her lungs slightly.

She approached the impersonal, metal bed where a man with greasy black hair was sleeping. An I.V. was dangling from its metal stand, dripping liquids directly into the man's wrist. Even when he was asleep he looked intimidating. He snored gently, his chest rising a falling laboriously, and he was scowling. She'd never come across anyone who looked annoyed in their sleep.

"Mr. Snape," Darlene said softly. The man didn't stir. She said his name a louder and his eyes fluttered open. He looked around for a second, confused at where he was, but then his gaze focused upon her and his expression, if it were possible, soured even more. Darlene gulped.

"I need to check your vital signs, so if you could…"

The man narrowed his eyes. Darlene was afraid that he would try and bite her if she got too close. She just should have checked his vitals when he was asleep.

"…sit up…"

The man glowered at her, but tried to sit up none the less. Well at least he was cooperating. She made to help him up, but he held up his hand and struggled until he was sitting though she could tell that he was in pain.

He was there because he had pneumonia. Her nursing instincts kicked in as she grew concerned. She didn't say anything, however, he wasn't verbally complaining. She checked his heart rate and took his blood pressure. They were a bit above normal, but she had expected this.

"Sir, are you diabetic or have any other diseases that I should know about?"

"No," he growled. "Are you finished? I'd like to get back to my nap."

"No, I need to listen to your lungs."

He sighed, annoyed and scooted up some. She pressed the stethoscope to his back; he grew stiff and drew in a sharp intake of breath.

"Deep breath," she commanded softly, and he obliged. She repeated the process four or five times but he didn't complain.

"Tell me," he said as he lay back down on the pillows. "Have you ever felt as though you were meant do something but some one came along and fucked everything up?"

Darlene didn't answer him. She stared at him, strangely. He was smiling slightly, but it was a cold smile, a distant smile.

"I was supposed to die; I'm not supposed to be here…"

"Mr. Snape, do you have a history of mental disorders?"

"Are you calling me crazy?" The man said his cruel smile widening. Darlene felt as though she were a deer caught in the headlights; he was trying to bait her.

"No, but I have to ask."

"The other nurse didn't, but then again she didn't get much a chance now did she?"

Darlene chose to ignore this and checked his I.V. stand, making sure it was close enough so that the tube wasn't pulled taut but not so close that if it accidentally fell over, it wouldn't clock him in the head. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if this happened, but if it did she'd be blamed, fired and then thrown back into prison, where she'd been for three years before she got out early for good behavior. She'd been out for a year, and she had to go through many bullshit jobs before she could get the job she had now. Before she'd been thrown into the clink, she'd been a nurse. It had taken much persuading from her parole officer, the security guards down at the prison and even a few clean cut friends to get the job at the hospital. She didn't want to fuck it up though she hated the people she worked with. She loved nursing.

"Doctor Leonard will in here to see you in a couple of hours, but if you need anything, just press the green button to your left there." She indicated towards a silver plate on the wall with a green and red button sticking out from it with a speaker built in to it.

"I didn't catch your name, how do I know you'll be able to hear me if I don't know your name?" The man asked.

"If I don't hear you, one of the staff will be more than glad to assist you."

"I don't any one else besides you coming in here. If some one else comes they'll regret the day they popped out of their mother's womb," he said, sneering at her. Darlene wasn't sure whether to be flattered or frightened.

"I have other patients to see, I won't be available all the time," Darlene said, trying to look apologetic. The man didn't seem to notice, however.

"Then I'll wait."

"You're being unreasonable."

"I'm unreasonable man," he said, closing his eyes. Darlene rolled her eyes, but not a second too soon. He opened his eyes again. "You'll just have to make your self available."

Darlene knew when she had been beat; Kirk would probably send her in there anyway because he hated her and was a sadistic freak of nature. If there was a troublesome patient, nine times out of ten, Darlene was sent to take care of them.

"My name is Darlene."

The man shut his eyes and mouthed the name to him self before dozing instantly into deep slumber. Darlene quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door with a quiet click and returned to her station at the desk. Sherry, a plump middle aged woman with short hair, was sitting in her usual spot, sipping coffee. Darlene took the seat next to her as Sherry handed her a Styrofoam cup filled with black invigorating liquid. Darlene accepted it and took a sip, shuddering slightly. She usually took hers with a bit of creamer and sugar, but the budget had been cut down and the only place she could find such things were down in the cafeteria which was three stories below them, in the basement.

"King Kirk is on the rampage again. His girlfriend dumped him last night and he's feeling extra moody today, so watch out," Sherry said. Darlene groaned and took another drink of her coffee.

"That's just great," she mumbled. Sherry clucked her tongue sympathetically.

"At any rate, how did it go with the terror in 234? He wouldn't let me get close to him earlier. He threatened to bite me."

"You didn't report that?"

Sherry rolled her eyes.

"I tried but Kirk didn't really seem to care. You know how he can be. Did that nightmare of a patient get rough with you? Cause if he did, Kirk can't ignore that."

"No," Darlene replied. "But he made it clear that he didn't want any one but me checking on him."

"Better you than me," Sherry shrugged, and took a bite out of a sticky doughnut. Darlene shot her a look.

"Thanks for that," Darlene mumbled. Sherry stuffed the rest of the doughnut in her mouth, excusing her from replying back. Behind them, a switchboard started beeping. The two nurses looked at each other, and then back at the switchboard. A red button was flashing; under it bold black numerals read "234". Sherry lifted her eyebrow at Darlene who sighed and stood up. She pushed the red button in and the beeping stopped at once.

"Can I help you Mr. Snape?" Darlene said into the speaker.

"I demand that you bring me new pillows. There is a stain on one of mine," his voice replied, scratchy with sleep and gruff.

"I can assure you that all the pillows are washed with sterilizing detergent after every use," Darlene said, looking at Sherry. Sherry didn't look at her. She was too busy trying not to crack up at her co-worker's misfortune.

"I don't care how they've been washed. Bring me a new set and make sure there aren't any vomit stains on them this time. I'll report you for neglect if you don't," he said. Darlene sighed. This was going to be a long day and perhaps an even longer week depending on how fast he recovered. For now, she'd just have to deal. The better she took care of him, the sooner he'd be able to leave and then he'd be out of her hair for good.

"I'll be right there," she said.


	2. Spinelessness Awareness

**Thanks to every one who reviewed! I humbly request that you keep doing so! **

**Chapter 2: Spinelessness Awareness  
**

The button didn't stop beeping for three days straight. She had to work over time because of Mr. Snape, because he'd scared off most of the night shift. In fact, two of them had quit because of the patient in room 234. Darlene was tired; she couldn't wait for him to leave. He never left her alone. She hated him; he always asked personal questions of her, demanding ridiculous things from her and was always cranky.

The day he was to be discharged, Darlene was quivering with excitement and relief. However, the fact that he was going to leave did not stop him from treating Darlene like his personal slave. Just as Darlene stepped into the nurses' station on the third day, the button started flashing as though it knew that she'd arrived. She willed herself not to get snappy as she answered the call.

"This is Darlene. What can I do for you today Severus?"

"Help me to the lavatory."

"You're being discharged today. You're going to have to learn how to use the facilities on your own, Severus."

His gruff British accent was starting to grate on her nerves. She was from a small town in Texas that was completely devoid of any culture and she loved hearing people from different countries talk, but she'd never be able to listen to another British accent with out feeling completely annoyed.

"It's you that will be cleaning up if I so choose to urinate on myself, and if you don't help me, I'll make sure to add feces to the mix as well," he growled.

"Give me a couple of minutes, Severus. I just got here and I need to take care of a couple of things first," Darlene pleaded. Kirk approached the counter and leaned over it, eying her like an owl eyed a small rodent that was many feet below it.

"I do not wait, Nurse Darlene. If I were under cardiac arrest you wouldn't be able to take care of a couple of things first."

"Fine, I'll be in there as soon as I possibly can," Darlene said, trying not to sigh in front of Kirk. She pressed the red button and turned to the skinny oily looking man that liked to boss her around. Kirk the head nurse wasn't in a good mood; Darlene could tell by his smile.

"Doctor L will be by at precisely three o clock to give 234 a look over. I'll sign the discharge papers, but I need you escort him down stairs to wait for his ride," he said.

"I get off at 2:30. I told you that I had some where I needed to be," Darlene said.

"I'm sorry Darlene but you're going to have to break it. You told me yesterday and policy states that you have to request time off three days in advance unless it's an emergency."

"You were okay with it yesterday!" Darlene exclaimed, bewildered.

"I don't recall ever giving you the go ahead. I'll let you off at four but no earlier," Kirk said and sidled off before Darlene could reply. She stomped into room 234, where the black haired, hook nosed man was already sitting up, waiting for her to help him up. She approached the bed and held out her hands. As carefully as she could stand, Darlene pulled him up into a standing position. She helped him hobble to the bathroom across the room and opened the door for him. He didn't go in, however.

"You want me to hold it while you go?" Darlene asked, too annoyed at him to even care about tact. Every since he'd arrived he'd been nothing but a royal pain in her ass.

"My, you're in a foul mood," he sneered, his thin lips curling into a small smile. Darlene could make out his teeth which were yellow and uneven. It disgusted her.

"Just go," she said. He entered the rest room but did not waste time. She tried not to listen to the watery sounds of him urinating for it created an unpleasant mental image. Less than two minutes later, the lock clicked and he stepped out. Darlene helped him back into the bed, thinking she might cry of relief once he was gone.

"Turn off that wretched contraption," he said, pointing to the T.V. which was turned on to a news channel. Darlene picked up the remote from the tray that was attached to the railing of the bed and turned off the television set. "Thank you."

Darlene stared at him. During his stay he'd never once thanked her. Not that she'd expected him to; in fact she was in total shock. The patient in room 234 was rude, calloused, tyrannical and quite possibly psychotic. She didn't know that any words of gratitude graced his vocabulary.

"I know that I haven't exactly been…ah…easy on you," he said, softly. "But I do want to thank you for putting up with me."

"I don't have much of a choice," Darlene muttered. Severus squinted at her.

"Of course you have a choice. You could have just ignored me. You're very good at your job."

"I can't say that I'll be sad once you're gone," Darlene sniffed. She was rewarded with a snort.

"No, I cannot blame you. I'm not pleasant. I'm supposed to be dead, Darlene. I hate you for keeping me alive."

"I'd be in trouble if I let you die," Darlene said. If assisted suicide were legal, Darlene would have been more than happy to help this man do himself in. It was a horrid thought, she knew, but he'd driven her up the wall. She was tired; so very, very tired.

"Come closer," he beckoned. "I want to get a good look at you."

Darlene grew suspicious. She'd read about some patients who become emotionally attached to the nurses sometimes and grew obsessive about them. Severus Snape did not strike her as this type but then again he was acting very strangely.

"Your hair," he said. "Let it down, I want to see it."

Darlene slowly pulled her red hair out of its pony tail and let it fall around her shoulders and her face. Severus studied her for a long time as though he were trying to figure out who she was. His scowl disappeared and for a moment, he looked sad. But his sour expression returned once more.

"I'm through. Get out," he said, pointing at the door. Darlene didn't need to be told twice.

Three o' clock rolled around and it was time for her to escort Severus down stairs in a wheel chair. He'd been deemed cured by his doctor and the papers had all been signed. No family showed up however so Darlene was forced to wait with him in the waiting room on the first floor. Thirty minutes passed by with out a word before Darlene started to realize that Severus didn't have anyone coming for him.

"There's no one coming after you is there?" Darlene asked flatly.

"No," was Severus' reply. Darlene sighed deeply.

"Do you want to call some one?"

Severus looked up at her.

"I don't have anyone to call."

Some how, Darlene knew this would be the answer.

"I could call a cab. Where do you live?"

"I don't know."

Darlene struggled to keep her cool. It took several deep breaths before she could answer him.

"You don't know? How can you not know where you live?"

Severus didn't reply and Darlene knew she was going to kick herself later on for doing what she was about to do. There was no way she could let this man just sit in the hospital for the rest of his life and there was no way she could just let him leave with no where to go. Darlene wished she had a spine, but she didn't. If she could be mean, just once, she'd never have to deal with this man again. But of course, she'd feel guilty later on. It was like trying to decide to take a lost kitten to the pound that was nothing but a nuisance though it had grown on her.

"I get off in thirty minutes. If I were to leave you here do you think that you could either find some one to call or wait for me until I get off work?"

Severus looked up at her again, sneering cruelly and Darlene wanted to strangle him for being such a bother on her part. He was doing it on purpose.

"I think I can do that," he replied.

And she left him there, in the waiting room, near the door, just incase some one besides herself felt sorry for him. He was rather like a lost puppy, a puppy that had strayed too far from home to find his way back. He had no collar, no identification but if he had, Darlene would be calling up his owner, demanding that they come take him. Darlene had brought home her share of strays. Many boyfriends and friends had come to stay with her in her tiny cramped one bedroom apartment in a not so nice part of town, but all of them had found their home. Severus wouldn't be that easy.

The first thing Darlene did when she reached the second floor was she headed straight for the nurses' station and straight for the phone to call her ex husband, David. He was not happy with her in the least, but then again he never was.

"You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago," he said, calmly. Darlene bit her lip; when he was calm that meant things were only going to progress. Darlene was a pacifist and the last thing she wanted was to fight with David.

"I know, but Kirk wouldn't let me off. I'm really sorry, Dave, I am," Darlene said. If she kept apologizing maybe he'd understand. But Dave wasn't an understanding man.

"Michelle and I were supposed to leave for Taos by three. It's a five hour drive, and we'd like to get there before midnight," Dave said. Darlene imagined his new wife, his younger wife, standing by the phone tapping her foot impatiently. Michelle hated Darlene with a passion though Darlene had been nothing but nice to her.

"Give me until five; I swear I'll be there. I'm sorry Dave."

"Fine, but if you aren't here by then I'm taking Lisa with us."

There was a click and Darlene set the phone down on the base, staring at it as though it had personally offended her some how. With a heavy sigh, Darlene sat down and stared at a picture that was tacked to the wall.

Right before she'd been arrested and thrown in jail, Darlene had been a mother. Looking at the picture of Lisa brought tears to her eyes. Darlene had missed her daughter the most while she had been in prison. By the time Darlene had been put in prison, her marriage was already deteriorated and at a close. Lisa had been two at that point and probably couldn't remember her parents ever being together. Darlene's marriage had not been a happy one and it was probably a good thing that Lisa couldn't remember. The majority of her marriage was a bunch of screaming and fighting. Darlene had liked to think her marriage was okay, that Dave was just stressed out from work and had no one else to take it out on. The fact that David just wasn't happy with her didn't sink in until he'd taken Lisa and left with out warning or notice.

It hurt her. It hurt her even more to see him happily married to some one else. David had been the love of Darlene's life. He'd always be.

Half an hour had passed by slowly, and when the clock struck four Darlene had already clocked out and was on her way downstairs. She had the whole weekend to spend with her daughter with no interruptions. Kirk saw her leaving and stepped out of his office. Darlene pretended not to have noticed him as she made her way down the hallway and to the elevator. There was just no way that he'd bully her into working extra hours.

The elevator reached the first floor and Darlene started towards the revolving doors. She had to hurry; it took thirty minutes to make it across town to Dave's house. Just as she was about to push her way through the door, she caught a glimpse of black greasy hair. She'd forgotten about Severus completely. The hope that he'd found some one to take him home was gone. There he was, staring at her, and to make things worse, she'd made eye contact with him. There was no way she could ignore him now with out seeming like a complete bitch. With a sigh, Darlene trudged towards the grumpy man.

"You weren't going to leave me where you?" Severus asked. He looked disgruntled and guilt shot through Darlene.

"No, I'm in a hurry," Darlene sighed and pushed Severus through the doors and went to retrieve her car. The valet helped Severus into the front seat of her car and they were off to fetch Lisa. Once Lisa had been picked up, Darlene planned on dropping Severus off at a motel, ridding herself of him even if she had to pay. The price would be worth it. She drove in silence, and did nothing to acknowledge Severus who looked out of the car window with vague bored interest.

Dave's house, which had once been his and Darlene's, was located in a small suburb called "East Crest". Every house that she passed was immaculate. The lawns were crisp green which was abnormal seeming that it was October, and they were all perfectly manicured. It reminded Darlene of the life she once had. She had friends in this neighborhood who had completely shunned her after she'd been to prison and as she pulled up into a driveway, Darlene was starting to feel nervous. She put the car in park and plucked the keys from the ignition.

"Give me just a minute," Darlene said to Severus. Severus gave her a curt nod and continued to stare at the seemingly white collar neighborhood.

Darlene approached the front door, feeling a bit odd as she rang the doorbell. Even though she'd come to pick up Lisa numerous of times, she still felt as though she were intruding though it had once been her home as well.

The doorbell was rung a second time, then a third time, then a fourth time. After five minutes of waiting, Darlene realized that no one was home. After a quick glance at her watch, she grew angry. She was twenty minutes early and they hadn't waited on her. She'd risked getting a ticket by speeding just so she could make there on time. Darlene looked down and saw an envelop sticking out from underneath the screen door. On the front of the envelop, her name was inscribed in big bold letters. She picked it up, opened it and slowly read it.

_Darlene, _

_We took Lisa with us; next time maybe you'll show up on time. _

_Dave and Michelle _

Darlene crumpled the note and threw it at the door. Dave had told her five. It was four forty five. It was probably Michelle's doing. Michelle had probably thrown a fit and demanded that they leave before Darlene got there. Darlene could imagine her telling Dave in that horrible whiny voice of hers, "She's going to be late anyway; she'll never know the difference. Let's just leave!"

It was then that Darlene took a vow to never be nice to Michelle again. Darlene gave the door a kick for good measure before returning to the car. She pulled the keys from her pocket and made an attempt to stick them in the ignition but she was too upset to succeed. A cold hand grabbed her hand and guided the key to the ignition. Darlene didn't turn the car on however. She buried her face in her hands and started to cry.

"Perhaps I'm being a bit presumptuous, but it appears as though you are upset," Severus stated in a slow soft voice. Darlene tried to stop crying, but it wasn't happening. Crying in front of a man like Severus Snape wasn't what she wanted to do, but she couldn't help it.

"You wouldn't understand," Darlene said, wiping at her eyes, trying to stop any more tears from falling.

"Ah, but I am no stranger to disappointment."

An odd feeling of hilarity seized Darlene. This man had no family, no where to go, no money as far as she knew and yet he managed to keep it all inside. It was no wonder that he was an ass but at least he wasn't wearing his feelings on his shoulder. Of course he was no stranger to disappointment; he was a living disappointment himself.

"I was supposed to pick up my daughter at five. My ex husband and his wife went out of town and took her with them with out telling me," Darlene explained, sniffling, trying not to cry anymore. "I only get to see her once a month, and this was my weekend."

"I see," Severus said. Darlene looked up at him. He was gazing at her, as though he were trying to read her mind. "Correct me if I'm wrong but I would think that would be illegal. Perhaps you should alert the local authorities?"

Darlene shook her head.

"I don't want to cause any trouble, I have enough problems with Dave and his bitch of a wife already, and I don't need anymore."

"You're completely spineless, you're aware?"

Darlene couldn't help but feel a little bit hurt by this. Over the past couple of days she'd learned to tolerate this man and let his insults fly over her head, but his observation had hit too close to home.

Darlene started the engine, letting it roar to life and she pulled out of the drive way, trying to forget about her weekend which had been ruined. She didn't want to spend it alone. She fought herself tooth and nail to take the stranger in the front seat to a motel room, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Her brain told her to just shove him out of her car, but her body guided the car to her apartment, with Severus in it. Spending the weekend with a grouchy, sullen bat of a man was a lot better than spending it alone, with her thoughts tormenting her.


	3. Compatible Truths

**Thanks for all the reviews! I don't have many yet, but the ones that I do have mean a lot to me. It touches me that so many people have taken the time to tell me how much they enjoy my story. Again, I am eternally grateful. Also, you lot, please keep an eye out for spelling errors and such and let me know and I'll take care of them. I am beta-less for the most part so you'll have to pardon me, I'm a bit on the independent side when it comes to that sort of thing, but I try and catch all of them, but as most of you know, One tend to gloss over things if one has to read it over and over. (Also, I'm on mood elevators so if some things seem completely over enthusiastic and out of place, well, that's my excuse.) Also MS word was being a bitch-don't ask, and if things seem weirdly formatted, that's why too. Bill Gates can create an empire of technology and make us all buy it but it never ceases to piss people off. Oh, cruel irony, does thou always hath to be a son of a bitcheth?  
**

**Chapter 3: Compatible Truths**

Darlene woke up on Saturday morning a bit disoriented. She sat up, trying to remember where she was. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that she was in her living room, on her couch as she'd let Severus take her own bed the previous night.

She stood up, stretched and popped her head in the bedroom door to check on her guest. Severus was still asleep, snoring, looking oddly out of place underneath the bright floral print comforter. Darlene smiled to herself, thinking she should take a picture to savor the moment so that she could show Sherry who would get a kick out of it. It was lucky for Severus that Darlene didn't own a camera of any sort.

The fridge was nearly bare, but Darlene found a couple of eggs to fry and a can of ready to bake biscuits. Cooking was one thing Darlene was good at. Her father had been a farmer and most of Darlene's childhood had been spent inside with her mother, helping her cook. It was the smell and prospect of food that aroused Severus from the bed. He sat down at the small table in the portion of the living room that served as the dining room.

"Mornin'," Darlene said. "Coffee?"

"I take mine black. Do you have a cigarette?"

Severus yawned, widely.

"I do, but I don't think that you should be smoking. You just got out of the hospital and smoking won't help you recover," Darlene said as she sat a coffee mug in front of him.

"The physician said I was fine," he said, his usual scowl returning.

"Doctor Leo is a crooked bastard as well. He's been sued for malpractice at least twice," Darlene said, clucking her tongue. But still, she rummaged around in her purse and produced a box of cigarettes and a lighter. After rummaging around in the cupboard, she found a small glass ashtray which she sat in front of Severus. She took a seat across from him and handed him the pack of cigarettes and the lighter.

"If you're going to be staying here, I need to know a few things," Darlene said as she watched him struggle to light the lighter. His hands were pale and gnarled, almost useless looking. She leaned across the table and took the lighter gently from him. She sparked it, produced a flame, and held it out for Severus. Her hands were a bit shaky, so he grabbed her wrist, holding the flame steady while he lit his cigarette. His touch was surprisingly gentle for some one with such a rough appearance and demeanor.

"What is it that you wish to know?"

"Well, for starters, where did you come from? You're not from around here, I know that much."

An eyebrow was raised as he said, "Ever the observational one. 'Not from around here,' please spare me your wit and get on with it."

"You're not in the hospital Mr. Snape, I don't have to be nice to you anymore," Darlene said, snagging the cigarette pack away from him and lighting one for herself. She was going to get answers, one way or another. "Now where are you from?"

He blinked at her; and she smiled sweetly, blowing smoke in his face.

"I'm from Britain. I was born in a house in a small village on a street named 'Spinner's End,' and up until about four months ago, I made a meager living by teaching at a boarding school," he said as he took a large puff off of the cigarette. "Was that information sufficient enough or do you want to know my date of birth, blood type, and obscure marks on my body?"

"The man with no past does have one. What happened four months ago?"

"That, Nurse Darlene, is crucial, classified information. I do not intend on staying here long enough for you to find out either," he said through gritted teeth. "What ever is on the stove is burning," he added, looking over her shoulder. Darlene stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray and dashed towards the stove, and turned off the pot of milky white gravy before it started burning too bad. She snagged an oven mitt from a drawer and pulled out the pan of biscuits.

Soon, she shoved a plate in front of Severus who eyed it suspiciously as though he was trying to tell if she had poisoned it or not. Darlene took her previous position and after watching her wolf down hers as though she hadn't eaten in days, Severus decided to take a small bite of his own.

"This is good," Severus said, taking a much larger bite. "Much more scrumptious than that gelatinous goop they so eloquently disguised as food that was served to me in the hospital."

"Glad you like it."

The two finished breakfast in silence, save for the occasional clink as silverware scraped the bottom of a plate. It was a rather awkward silence; it seemed as though some thing had gone unsaid.

"What about you?" Severus asked once he his stomach was satisfied.

"What about me?" Darlene asked as she picked up his plate. She stood up and dropped it unceremoniously into the sink.

"Surely you cannot expect me to volunteer information about myself with out asking for something in return. What's your story? Everyone has one," Severus replied lazily. Darlene stiffened; she wasn't ready to tell him everything.

"Well you're wrong. I don't have one," she sniffed.

"You answer easily and quickly. I don't believe you. You made it quite obvious that you'd been married once upon a time," Severus said, sipping his coffee. "Like I implied before; every one has a story. What's yours?"

"That, I believe, is none of your business. Yes, I've been married. We had a daughter together. She's six, seven in November. Her father and I aren't together anymore. End of story," Darlene said, hoping her answer would satisfy his curiosity. Much to her dismay, it did not. He kept pressing her for answers.

"So what you're telling me is that you and your husband decided to divorce for no reason at all?"

Darlene sighed; she was annoyed. The subject of Dave wasn't something she liked to talk about and even more so with a complete stranger.

"No, idiot, there's always a reason. He wasn't happy with me so he found some one else. Out with the old, in the with the new. Not that it matters, anyway, I was put in lock down for a couple of years so it didn't really do me any good to convince him that he was happy with me," Darlene said.

"Lock down?" Severus inquired.

"I was in prison," Darlene stated simply and began to wash up the dishes in the sink. If she kept her hands busy, she wouldn't bite her nails; it was a horrible habit that she'd been born with. She longed to have long pretty fingernails but all she had were stumps.

"Perhaps I'm treading a bit too far, but I think that I have every right to know exactly why you were in prison. It's for my own safety, I'm sure you understand."

Darlene didn't want to tell him anything; it brought on too many horrible memories. However, the circumstances that he'd presented were fair. She'd been taught to tell anyone who asked the truth by her court appointed counselor.

"I was an alcoholic. I hit some one in my car, and I was lucky that they survived or else I'd be in for life."

Severus was quiet for a while as he seemed to be mulling over this bit of information in his head. Darlene was used to being judged, but it still didn't hurt any less, even though it really shouldn't have mattered. It was painfully embarrassing and slightly hurtful to be stared at as though she were some class of an alien by a man who was more of an alien than she was. After a few long agonizing moments of surveying her, he finally found his voice.

"I, too, know how it is to be judged upon a stupid mistake that I've made," he said, staring deeply into her eyes. His tone was less harsh and slightly understanding. "Do I think you're a bad person? No, I cannot. You took care of me when I was ill. If you were a cruel person you wouldn't have done such a thing. Do I feel like you are a danger to me? No, but I wish you were."

It sort of creeped Darlene out; it was as though he were reading her thoughts. As a rule, Darlene kept her emotions very well hidden from the rest of the world. This skill had helped her avoid awkward questions, but though she was an expressionless person for the most part, there were times that she couldn't help but let her true feelings show. This was one of those times; she had to look away.

"I don't drink any more for the record. I've been court ordered to attend meetings for that, you know, a support group?"

"Yes, I believe I know what you're talking about. How long had you been an alcoholic?" Severus pressed on. Darlene was used to sharing this aspect of her life in front of twenty plus strangers every week. This time, however, it seemed so personal, so raw. The people at the meetings listened to her as though she were reading it from a book, a twisted fairy tale of sorts, something they could get lost in but it wasn't happening to them, they had their own problems. But Severus…Severus it seemed, really cared to know. This peculiar man stared at her as though he were trying to figure her out. It hardly seemed real that only a day had passed since he'd been the nit picky patient that demanded she escort him to the bathroom or else he'd defecate all over himself.

"I guess it really started around the time that I got married. I'd come home after a day at work and have a beer or a glass of wine; you know to soothe the nerves. Nursing can be very stressful," Darlene gave him a pointed look. Severus nodded his head with a slight smirk.

"As I can imagine," he said in response.

"I used to be an E.R. nurse. That, Severus, is one helluva job. The position I hold now is nothing compared to that." She smiled thoughtfully. "I never thought the one beer a day thing was considered alcoholic. My dad had a beer once a day during the summer. It was never more than one, you know. But Me and Dave, my ex, started having problems, and one beer a day turned into two and then three until things had spiraled so out of control, I just hit rock bottom. One second Dave loved me and the next he took our daughter and left. One second I was getting into my car to go let off steam after I'd had an argument with Dave over the phone and the next I hit some one. I remember standing over the person, trying to be helpful, but my mind just wouldn't work. It didn't start to actually work until I'd been about three weeks sober, and that was in jail."

Tears started pouring down her face. What was it about this man that made her want to cry shamelessly? She'd never been able to tell any one any of this before, not even her counselor. She sat down heavily in the chair, and stared at Severus, asking him silently, why? Why did he have to bring this up? Why did he have to make her cry? He inclined his head, permitting her to carry on. She opened her mouth to say something, but it just wouldn't come out.

"Listen," she finally managed to croak. "If I could go back in time and change everything I would…"

"As would any one. But it does you no good to dwell on the what if's or the could have's or the should have's."

Darlene nodded. The dishes in the sink seemed horribly unimportant so she sat down the plate she was scrubbing and rinsed her hands off. More than anything else, Darlene was relieved. She was relieved to have been able to tell some one…anyone…and not be thought of as a horrible person.

"I'm going to go have a lie down," Severus said and stood abruptly. Darlene shrugged but was a wee bit disappointed. She knew he needed his rest but she felt an odd sort of connection to him. It was as though he knew her better than any one else, even the people she'd known for a long time. He eyed her once more and then turned on his heel, shutting the bedroom door behind him. Darlene sighed and put her head in her hands. She needed to talk to some one. She would crawl out of her skin if she didn't. She found the phone and punched in a few numbers and waited as it rang over and over until some one picked up on the other end.

"Sherry," Darlene said when ever Sherry introduced her self formally, relieved that it was Sherry who had picked up the phone and not that ass, Kirk. "It's Darlene."

"Oh, hey. What's going on?"

So, with that invitation, Darlene told Sherry everything that had happened since she left work. Little did Darlene know that some one in another room dialed into the line and was listening in on their conversation.

* * *

**This is the last update for a week maybe. I'm getting married on Thursday (woo!) and will be out of town getting mah freak on. **


End file.
